War
by B.Logan
Summary: Aidan flashback to 1775


**I am not a writer nor would I ever pretend to be but I can't get this show out my head. I was just thinking of how easy it would be to get way with being a vampire during war time. Please review but be kind I am not a historian! Thanks**

**Disclaimer**: Like everyone here I do not claim to own anything. I don't claim ownership of the characters, the show, or anything else. In fact I barely have grip on my own thoughts.

Aidan lied, again. This time it was to Bernie. He told him that there was nothing good about war, but the truth was if you were a vampire everything about war was good, and Adian had love it every delicious minute of it.

Aidan's first war was the one that forever defined him. War is what made him what he was.

He was young, and a believer in the revolution. Boston was alive with the excitement of the birth to a new nation. He wanted freedom and independence for himself and his family. So naturally he joined the efforts. When it came time do battle he was as frightened as any man. War was ugly, painful and terrifying. However Aiden possessed a trait that so few soldiers did. He had the ability to fight past the fear and leap into the fray with his wits about him. As soldiers fell one after another he somehow managed to fight on, battle after battle he was a survivor. Some called him brave, others thought he gifted with ability to rise up and continue on with one bloody battle after another. He told himself that he was no different than any of his fellow soldiers, but he was. He was able to put fear and inhibitions aside and do what need to be done. He could compartmentalize his emotions so that they did not control him. He was a natural leader, on and off the field. When commanders fell, and solders would freeze in fear they would see him fighting onward they follow his charge.

While sorting through the aftermath of a particularly bloody battle a determined blond militiaman rode onto the battlefield.

"Sir, are you McCollin?"

"Yes" replied a weary solider who was gathering weapons.

Dismounting from his hoarse the man approached "I understand that you are the one responsible for holding this battalion together after the loss of your leader."

The young solder replied modestly "I did my best. What news do you bring? Are their reinforcements?"

"Sadly no, it's just me a few of my men." replied the blond man gesturing toward the motley looking crew of mounted solders behind him.

"Oh, do you have orders for us than?"

A disgusted look crossing the mans face "No. I have nothing to offer this battalion of week pathetic humans…"

Growing suspicious of this new man, suspecting a trap or ambush he stared to slowly back away "Why than are you here?"

The stranger closed the distance quickly "I have come for you."

"I don't understand"

"I have heard rumors, about you. About your bravery and that you have a talent for bringing death to your enemies. You have got quite a reputation already, such auspicious beginning of a war."

The young man looked down at the ground "I have no talent for death, I do not enjoy killing. I only do what is necessary, in order to survive."

The blond man shook his head and clucked his tongue "It's a pity, that you do not take more pleasure in your victories."

Looking up and meeting the other mans eyes "They are not my victories but victories for our independence."

Moving in even closer the mans hand quickly shot out and grabbed Aiden by the jaw; than slowing turning his head side to side he inspected his face closely, looking deep into his eyes…

"Ah yes there it is, I see it inside of you…"

Brushing away the mans hand from his face "What is that? What is it that you see, in me?"

Straightening his jacket and standing to his full height the large blond man declared with a sinister smile, "You are a killer, a warrior, a man of great determination and strength. Yes, you will do nicely, you will serve me well indeed."

"I don't understand…? What is it that you want?"

"Why you… of course. I am here for you, and I do have a message for you." A chill sweep thought Adian's body as the strangers eyes turned as black as night. It was the last thing he remembered of his human life before he awoke on a pile of dead solders.

It was true there was nothing good about that first war. The loss of his life, his family and all that he held dear. His innocence's, his humanity was gone but left in its place was anger and hunger one fueling the other. He became exactly what Bishop had hoped for, a vampire with an insatiable thirst, a partner in crime and a companion to his own madness. Together they were unstoppable and extreme even among other vampires their exploits became legend. Most vampires drank enough to feed and survive but they seemed to draw some perverse sense of pleasure in the wholesale slaughter that war afforded them. It was eight years of madness.

It was true there was nothing good about that first war, but the one after that and the one after that… they were paradise. It was during times of war that the vampires could walk among the humans to kill and feed with little concern of being discovered. He and Bishop could move about undetected wearing the uniform of any army. It was a feast, no one ever noticed and extra corpse of two on the battlefield. Not satisfied sit on the sidelines and wait for the battles to begin, they jumped into the fray killing gleefully, with swords and bullets, using their strength and speed to eviscerate the enemy. As the blood began to pour from the wounds of the soldiers, their fangs would emerge and their eyes would darken in anticipation of the feast that awaited them.

They became brazen and would revel in the spotlight of battles that they had won for their favorite cause. At times the would fight together side by side at others they would don opposing armies uniforms and place bets to see who side would emerge victorious. During the battles the rules were simple kill as many of the other men as possible, but no fighting with other vampires. Of course Bishop would cheat and stack the deck in his favor buy turning a few dozen men to help him fight as his own personal army. Afterward he would keep the good soldiers in his company and dispose of the newly made vampires he felt to be week.

Aiden had always enjoyed batting on the side of the humans. He refuse to turn any soldiers, preferring to fight alone convincing himself that he didn't need any help. It was his stubborn pride not his fighting skills that caused him to lose so often and fall so hard, and Bishop loved this about him. Win or lose each of them always had more than their fill of fresh flowing blood.

When the war was over and the fighting stopped they traveled seeking new conflicts to join. After the Revolutionary War came the next major war of 1812, they decide to fight some more eventually battling south to New Orleans where they had their hand in the 700 British deaths. They hung around in the south and joined in the short but bloody Mexican American war in 1846. The last great war they fought on American soil was the Civil War joining the Union army.

Year after year war after war this went on. Times changed and warfare became more sophisticated and more precise, fewer lives were being lost and the accounting of the dead became a priority, they lost interest in war. They would have to find new ways to amuse themselves. Overseas battles, targeted airstrikes and hi-tech equipment in the military are so distant from the blood of battlefield; that he and the vampires he ran with lost all interest in war.

A thousand memories flashed past in an instant. The next thing he knew Bernie was lying on the ground with a cut on his hand. As Aidan looked down at the child's bleeding palm he could smell the blood in the air and still hear the cannons and riffle fire that took place on the battlefield not far from the park they played at.

With all the death and destruction he had caused fresh in his mind he forced himself to remember why it was important to stay strong, clean and focused. 237 years later the real battle was now – for his humanity during his own personal war for independence.


End file.
